


Two Sides of One Coin

by EmmyFan



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:39:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmyFan/pseuds/EmmyFan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's opinion on the fact he is forgotten as Arthur gets praised for doing stuff Merlin had done. One-shot</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Sides of One Coin

Arthur is in the middle of the hall, surrounded by knights, nobles and servants alike, being congratulated for killing The Monster that had been plaguing the lower town.

They call it 'The Monster' as no-one knows what it was... Except Merlin. Merlin knows it was a harpy. Another thing no-one but Merlin knows is that, Arthur did not kill the harpy! Because harpies can only be killed with magic, something Arthur does not posses. But Merlin does. Merlin who is standing to the side of the hall brushing himself down removing the dirt accumulated partly from being pushed to the ground by the crowd rushing to praise Arthur, but most of the dirt remained from the his battle with the harpy.

Many would feel annoyed, or even angry, that someone else took credit for their battle to the death with a killer beast. But Merlin just felt relieved, for many reasons, a bit because it meant no-one had noticed that a large area of his shirt's back was a slightly dark shade of red than the rest of the material; slightly because no-one had seen him run the harpy through with a sword wreathed with blue flames, so he was safe from the executioner's block for now; but mostly because Arthur had survived yet another magical encounter and the people see him as a even stronger Prince - and Future King - than before.

They love him even more as their defender and when he becomes King they will follow him with more loyalty than they ever did his father. Merlin was happy to live in Arthur's shadow, no matter how much he complained to Gaius about it, because (as Arthur had noted on the rare occasions his obliviousness concerning Merlin temporarily lifted) he is wise beyond his years. Merlin knew that as two sides of the same coin their destinies are forever entwined (as the Dragon always said) but what was never said but Merlin realised by himself is that, for one side of the coin to shine and be admired; the other must be facing down, under the other, hidden unseen and unappreciated.


End file.
